Mog gets kitty to make UK music streaming push

Spotify rival handed $10m

A music streaming service that hopes to challenge the likes of Spotify and Last.fm has raised a big chunk of capital that could see it arrive in the UK sooner rather than later.

Mog.com, which is based in Berkeley, California, has raised $9.5 million as it looks to expand.

The company has already won the backing of some high profile companies – notably Sony Music and Universal Music Group – and is now expected to take the jump across the pond.

Not for free

The service told paidcontent.com that it was hoping to provide a cheaper service than Spotify's £9.99 premium service but would not be going down the free route that launches the Swedish service to prominence.

"We'd like to do free, but the model doesn't work…the services are haemorrhaging money," CEO David Hyman told PaidContent.

"The labels won't let them continue to do free. Contrary to what you read, I don't think you'll be seeing that (free Spotify) in the States at all. Free's cool, free's like crack."